The concept of this invention relates in general to filtration of gas and/or steam in a high pressure operating condition, in particular to an assembly vessel capable of withstanding the high pressures of the treated gas or air, while allowing the removal of particulates, solids, liquids, and/or oil, or other deleterious particles, from a gas flow.
More specifically, and without restriction to the particular use as shown and described, this invention relates to an improved high pressure filter housing assembly to subject a gas to filter, coalescing, and separation to remove solids, emulsify liquids, and/or oils therefrom.
As its well known in the art, and in numerous situations, a continuous liquid or gas phase is subject to the accumulation of contaminants in the form of solid particles, liquids, and/or gases, in addition to other extraneous or foreign particles, which must be subjected to filtration and separation, and such filtration devices have been attempted by numerous techniques, and have been available in the prior art. The contaminating material, may for example, be present as a solid, a liquid, or even a gas within a gas media, or within a combination of such, as steam, has long been treated and filtered in the art. Foreign matter is prevalent, for example, in pneumatic lines used in conjunction with air/gas compression systems, as for enhanced oil recovery injection systems, power generation, and the like.
Many devices, in the form of filters, in the prior art have relied upon conventional housing designs, which require removal of the housing “bowl” for access to the filter element cartridge, to attain its removal therefrom. Such filters need to be cleaned, replaced, as can be understood, and particularly in high pressure applications, the filter housings are necessarily large and extremely heavy, requiring specialized equipment to lift, manipulate, and completely remove the filter housing assembly from the compressed air line and/or skid in order to gain access to the filter element cartridge, for its exchange after its useful service life has become depleted. Such a design paradigm is cumbersome, time consuming, and potentially dangerous, because of the heavy weight, and the bulk and size of the equipment embodied in the filter, or the equipment which is used to remove the same, particularly when routine maintenance operations of the high pressure filter itself is required.
By incorporated a top-loaded removable manifold, to gain access to the filter element cartridge, as with the current design, routine maintenance operations addressing filter cartridge exchange are simplified by the ability to leave the filter housing in-situ during the exchange. Access to the removable manifold is made possible by only removing the top blind flange from the main body of the heavy housing. No bowl removal is required to gain access to the filter element cartridge itself, for further processing.
Examples of prior art types of high pressure filters can be seen in various existing patents. There are many patents that show various types of high pressure filters, such as can be seen in the United States Patent to Webb, U.S. Pat. No. 3,295,684, but showing a different type of filter arrangement from that of the current invention.
The early patent to Dondey, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 999,759 shows an early high pressure filter.
The patent Kiderman, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,843,378, shows another filter unit with high pressure filter cap.
The patent to Rawson, U.S. Pat. No. 768,951, shows another high pressure filter.
The patent to Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 270,807, shows another high pressure filter press.
The patent to Powell, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,183, shows a high pressure high temperature type of filter.
The patent to Bair, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,283,098, shows a high pressure filter having a relief valve in its base.
The patent to Brown, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,989, discloses a method of assembling of improved bead-lock high pressure filter, utilizing a stamped metal cover and filter obtained thereby.
The patent to La Pierre, U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,561, shows another high pressure filter supports for liquids, systems therewith and methods of use.
Another patent to Brown, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,834, shows another high pressure filter.
The patent to Hallinan, U.S. Pat. No. 2,692,684, shows a further high pressure filter.
The patent to Rosaen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,438,498, shows another high pressure filter device.
The patent to Brown, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,787, shows an apparatus for forming high pressure filters.
The patent to Steiner, U.S. Pat. No. 7,332,010, shows a high pressure filter/separator and locking mechanism.
The patent to Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 7,098,301, shows a high pressure filter method of separating polymer solids and unreacted monomer.
The patent to Cooper, U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,657, discloses a high pressure filter assembly having an easily detachable bowl cover.
The patent to Hallinan, U.S. Pat. No. 2,583,423, shows a high pressure filter.
The patent to Brown, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,834, shows a method for assembling an improved bead-block high-pressure filter utilizing a stamped metal cover.
The patent to Hauser, U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,205, discloses a high pressure gas filter system.
The patent to Gutkowski, U.S. Pat. No. 2,955,712, shows a high pressure oil filter unit incorporating a threaded bowl assembly valve actuating means.
Finally, another patent to Gutkowski, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,978,107, shows a high pressure oil filter unit having combined automatic shut-off and relief valve structure.
The foregoing shows some early and more contemporary filters for processing gas, and their structures and methods of operation. All of these shown filter units are of a very heavy design, and therefore are difficult to service as when replacing or cleaning their filters.